Duration

3 Hours

Location(s)

Town(s)

The Beginner & Demo Dune Lessons include “Ground School” ($39 cost included in lesson) in the total 3 hour duration.

Dune Hang Gliding lessons are conducted at our training facility in Jockey’s Ridge State Park located at Mile Post 12 in Nags Head, NC. The dunes of Jockey’s Ridge provide the perfect platform for learning to hang glide. They have plenty of height for beginners, and are soft for landing. Through special arrangement with the State Park Service, we are allowed to conduct hang gliding lessons from these dunes. We have been providing lessons at this site for over 25 years.

A typical Beginner Dune Hang Gliding Lesson is 3 hours long and starts with check-in (30 minutes prior to class time). Each class has no more than 5 students per instructor. You then have about 1 hour of ground school including a training video.

After ground school, your class proceeds to the dunes via a scenic walkway. It’s about a 200 yard walk to the base of the dunes. Once you have climbed to the the top of the dunes (the instructor carries the glider) you begin your solo hang gliding flights. The instructor is there to help. He/she will help you get into the harness, provide any last minute instructions, and help you launch.

You will run into the wind, and depending on the wind conditions (and your weight and skill), you can travel anywhere from 30 to 100+ yards at 5 to 15 feet above the sand. Each trip down the dune is termed a “flight.” The standard beginner lesson includes 5 flights. You might not land on your feet your first or even your second attempt.

Ground School – $39

included with all Beginner Dune Lessons

Ground School is a fundamental portion of any Hang Gliding Lesson with Kitty Hawk Kites on the sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park – it is required for every student. If it has been more than a year since your last Ground School, you will be required to take that portion of the lesson again. Ground School includes…hang gliding and state park orientation, hang gliding history, glider control inputs, launching, flying and landing techniques, training film, equipment orientation.

Water – Bring a lot more than you think you’ll need. When on the dunes, bury it in the sand to keep it cold.

Sunscreen – If you apply it before the lesson, remember to bring it out on the hill!

Eye protection – Even on an overcast day it is still very bright on the dunes.

Comfortable Clothing – You’ll be running for a short distance, so stay comfy.

Athletic Clothing – Our harnesses have leg loops, so please keep this in mind when choosing comfortable shorts, pants, and leggings. We find that athletic material works best when covering mid-thigh and lower.

Proper Footwear – Walking on the sand barefoot is easiest, but sometimes it can get hot. Either wear sneakers, a pair of socks (or two), or if it’s not too hot, wear flip flips and kick them off as needed.

Camera – You WILL want pictures! Bring a plastic bag to protect it (and other valuables).

Other tips & recommendations:

It’s a good idea to dress in layers. You can always peel them off! During the spring & fall it can get chilly out on the dunes–especially when the wind is blowing hard. There’s always more wind on the dunes than in the parking lot.

Bring a light snack (unless your diet consists of sand) and a blanket to sit on.

GoPro Film & Photo Package

PRE-Purchase – $29 plus tax ($10 Savings)

Kitty Hawk Kites offers GoPro footage of your lesson so that you can relive this memory for years to come. We film each flight you take above the dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Within 48 hours of your lesson all of your flight footage plus at least 50 to 100 fully edited digital photos of your Hang Gliding experience will be emailed to you.

The footage and digital photos are social media ready so you can easily share with friends and family!